Need tasting reports

Hi good peoples.

I have an opportunity to purchase the 2005 Beaulieu Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserve, and the 2005 Beaulieu Vineyard Dulcet Reserve, all for just under $19 per 750ml, then get 10% off that for buying either 6 or 12 bottles. I have never had either of these wines, from any vintage, and am looking for input as to their quality in the vintage, as well as opinions on the wine over all. The Dulcet has a splash of syrah blended into cabernet gathered from various top vineyard sites, and the pinot is from the Carneros district. My personal guess is that the Dulcet might well be the better wine of the two, but I would like to hear from someone that has had them. Thanks in advance.

[David M. Bueker]

I'm not sure you'll get many bites Bob. The only new Beaulieu wines I have had in the last two years are Rutherford Cabs (at catered events). The winery has dropped off the radar screen.

Bob-

I agree with David that Beaulieu has pretty much fallen from the charts in recent years. If you don't get any responses, you might just try searching the tasting notes over on Cellar Tracker. Personally, I don't place a lot of weight on CT notes as they tend to be "all over the lot" and I haven't had a chance to palate calibrate with 99.99% of the posters. That said, it might give you some insights.

BP

[Jenise]

Bob-

I agree with David that Beaulieu has pretty much fallen from the charts in recent years. If you don't get any responses, you might just try searching the tasting notes over on Cellar Tracker. Personally, I don't place a lot of weight on CT notes as they tend to be "all over the lot" and I haven't had a chance to palate calibrate with 99.99% of the posters. That said, it might give you some insights.

BP

My experience is very different from yours. Taking the dates of the posts into consideration (as posts can be years apart), I've found I can generally get a very good sense of a wine from Cellar Tracker posts. Yes opinions often diverge, but the nature of the faults cited by individual reviewers usually helps one identify the reviewers whose tastes are most similar to one's own.

I'm not sure you'll get many bites Bob. The only new Beaulieu wines I have had in the last two years are Rutherford Cabs (at catered events). The winery has dropped off the radar screen.

I don't disagree with you completely David, but I do think that in the last few years BV has been trying to regain their place on the wine scene. Their low end stuff is not any better than a thousand others but their better stuff has been....well, better, or so I have heard.

Robert,

If the outstanding Pinots you brought to the Pinot themed MoCool a few years ago are indicative of your taste in Pinot Noir, I doubt you would be thrilled with the BV Pinot.

Robert,

If the outstanding Pinots you brought to the Pinot themed MoCool a few years ago are indicative of your taste in Pinot Noir, I doubt you would be thrilled with the BV Pinot.

Hi David, I would not be real surprised to find that you are correct. I am not a huge fan of Cali pinots and much prefer Oregon for west coast pinots. I shall tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and that is I prefer Stone wolf and Lindsay pinots over most others even from Oregon. Of course who can afford top notch burgs, certainly not a retired weather guesser. I guess I will have to buy one of the BV Reserve Carneros pinots to find out for myself, The MSRP is 45 and this is $20. And, if I buy it, I will have to break wine probation early as well. Dirty work!